(Bal-e-Jibril-129) Lenin (Khuda Ke Hazoor Mein)

Lenin
(Khuda Ke Hazoor Mein)

LENIN
(Before God)

Ae Anfus-o-Afaq Mein Paida Tere Ayaat
Haq Ye Hai Ke Hai Zinda-o-Paenda Teri Zaat

All space and all that breathes bear witness; truth
It is indeed; You are, and do not remain.

Main Kaise Samajhta Ke Tu Hai Ya Ke Nahin Hai
Har Dam Mutaghyyar The Khird Ke Nazariyat

How could I know that God was or was not,
Where Reasonʹs reckonings shifted hour by hour?

Mehram Nahin Fitrat Ke Sarood-e-Azali Se
Beenaye Kawakib Ho Ke Dana’ay Nabataat

The peerer at planets, the counter‐up of plants,
Heard nothing there of Natureʹs infinite music;

Aj Ankh Ne Dekha To Woh Alam Huwa Sabit
Main Jis Ko Samajhta Tha Kalisa Ke Khurafat

To‐day I witnessing acknowledge realms
That I once thought the mummery of the Church.

Hum Band-e-Shab-o-Roz Mein Jakre Huwe Bande
Tu Khaliq-e-Aasaar-o-Nigarindah’ay Aanat !

We, manacled in the chains of day and night!
You, moulder of all timeʹs atoms, builder of aeons!

Ek Baat Agar Mujh Ko Ijazat Ho To Puchun
Hal Kar Na Sake Jis Ko Hakeemon Ke Maqalat

Let me have leave to ask this question, one
Not answered by the subtleties of the schools,

Jab Tak Mein Jiya Khaima-e-Aflak Ke Neeche
Kante Ki Tarah Dil Mein Khatakti Rahi Ye Baat

That while I lived under the sky‐tentʹs roof
Like a thorn rankled in my heart

Guftar Ke Asloob Pe Qaboo Nahin Rehta
Jab Rooh Ke Andar Mutaltum Hon Khayalat

And made such chaos in my soul of all its thoughts
I could not keep my tumbling words in bounds.

Woh Kon Sa Adam Hai Ke Tu Jis Ka Maabood
Woh Adam-e-Khaki Ke Jo Hai Zair-e-Samawat?

Oh, of what mortal race art You the God?
Those creatures formed of dust beneath these heavens?

Mashriq Ke Khudawand Saifedan-e-Farangi
Maghrib Ke Khudawand Darakhshandah Filzaat

Europeʹs pale cheeks are Asiaʹs pantheon,
And Europeʹs pantheon her glittering metals.

Yourap Mein Bohat Roshani-e-Ilm-o-Hunar Hai
Haq Ye Hai Ke Be-Chashma’ay Haiwan Hai Ye Zulmat

A blaze of art and science lights the West
With darkness that no Fountain of Life dispels;

Raanayi-e-Tameer Mein, Ronaq Mein, Safa Mein
Girjon Se Kahin Barh Ke Hain Bankon Ki Amarat

In high‐reared grace, in glory and in grandeur,
The towering Bank out‐tops the cathedral roof;

Zahir Mein Tajarat Hai, Haqiqat Mein Juwa Hai
Sood Aik Ka Lakhon Ke Liye Marg-e-Mafajat

What they call commerce is a game of dice
For one, profit, for millions swooping death.

Ye Ilm, Ye Hikmat, Ye Tadabur, Ye Hukumat
Peete Hain Lahoo, Dete Hain Taleem-e-Masawat

There science, philosophy, scholarship, government,
Preach manʹs equality and drink menʹs blood;

Bekari-o-Uryani-o-Maikhawari-o-Iflaas
Kya Kaam Hain Farangi Madniyat Ke Fatuhaat

Naked debauch, and want, and unemployment—
Are these mean triumphs of the Frankish arts!

Woh Qoum Ke Faizan-e-Samawi Se Ho Mehroom
Had Uss Ke Kamalaat Ki Hai Barq-o-Bukharaat

Denied celestial grace a nation goes
No further than electricity or steam;

Hai Dil Ke Liye Mout Machinon Ki Hukumat
Ehsas-e-Marawwat Ko Kuchal Dete Hain Aalaat

Death to the heart, machines stand sovereign,
Engines that crush all sense of human kindness.

Asaar To Kuch Kuch Nazar Ate Hain Ke Akhir
Tadbeer Ko Taqdeer Ke Shatar Ne Kiya Maat

‐‐Yet signs are counted here and there that Fate,
The chess‐player, has check‐mated all their cunning.

Maikhane Ki Bunyad Mein Aya Hai Tazalzul
Baithe Hain Issi Fikar Mein Peeran-e-Kharabat

The Tavern shakes, its warped foundations crack,
The Old Men of Europe sit there numb with fear;

Chehron Pe Jo Surkhi Nazar Ati Hai Sar-e-Shaam
Ya Ghazah Hai Ya Saghir-o-Meena Ki Karamat

What twilight flush is left those faces now
Is paint and powder, or lent by flask and cup.

Tu Qadir-o-Adil Hai Magar Tere Jahan Mein
Hain Talakh Bohat Banda’ay Mazdoor Ke Auqat

Omnipotent, righteous, You; but bitter the hours,
Bitter the labourerʹs chained hours in Your world!

Kab Doobe Ga Sarmaya Prasti Ka Safina?
Dunya Hai Teri Muntazir-e-Roz-e-Makafat !

When shall this galley of goldʹs dominion flounder?
Your world Your day of wrath, Lord, stands and waits.